Remondis acquires Veolia’s operations in Sweden

With the acquisition, Remondis said it has strengthened its market position in Northern Europe and has significantly expanded its business activities on the Swedish market.

The activities taken over in Sweden are described by the company as “classic recycling with a high proportion of the collection, processing and marketing of recycled raw materials, services and industrial cleaning.”

Veolia Recycling has a total of 65 sites in Sweden, which will be taken over by Remondis as part of the transaction.

Werner Hols, CEO North & West Europe, emphasised the importance of the acquisition for Remondis: “We are delighted to be able to considerably extend our market presence in Scandinavia by taking over the Veolia locations in Sweden.”

We are delighted to be able to considerably extend our market presence in Scandinavia
– Werner Hols, Remondis

Mr Hols continued: “We are now able to offer our national and international customers a varied and wide range of high quality services in the Nordic countries. By expanding our Swedish presence with 65 new locations, we have succeeded in taking an important step.”

The transaction is subject to the approval of antitrust authorities. Remondis is one of the world’s largest privately run recycling, service and water companies with around 800 business locations in over 30 countries and across four continents. Founded in 1934, this family-run business employs more than 38,000 people and generates a turnover of €8.2 billion (2020). In the UK it operates mainly in Yorkshire and North East England.

PreZero

The deal means that both Veolia and Suez have now exited Sweden. Earlier this year Suez announced it had completed the sale of its recycling and recovery operations in Sweden to PreZero, the environmental division of Germany’s Schwarz Group. PreZero has also acquired Suez businesses in other countries including in Poland, the Netherlands and Germany.

Remondis had put forward a proposal in April this year to acquire a share in Suez which could have scuppered the proposed Veolia purchase of Suez. More announcements around the ongoing Veolia acquisition of Suez are expected before the end of the year.